Dehradun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, while reviewing the Energy Department in the Secretariat on Tuesday, directed the officials to work rapidly towards increasing power generation in the state. The Chief Minister said that to double the power generation in the state in the next 05 years, the three corporations UPCL, UJVNL and Pitkul should work in coordination. The Chief Minister also directed the three corporations to complete the projects in a timely manner. He said that energy and tourism have been the basic concept of the formation of the state of Uttarakhand. Stating the need to work rapidly in the state in the field of energy, the Chief Minister said that keeping in view the rainy season, safety audit of all transformers should also be done. Keeping in mind the need of rapidly establishing industrial institutions in the state, efforts should be made rapidly towards increasing power generation.
The Chief Minister said that the small hydropower projects on which work is currently being done should be completed speedily. Electricity availability should be ensured through solar rooftop in government buildings. More efforts should be made in this direction so that more and more youth get self-employment through Mukhyamantri Solar Swarojgar Yojana. It should be ensured that maximum number of people get the benefit of PM Surya Ghar Free Electricity Scheme in the state. The Chief Minister directed that the process of construction of new power houses and updating the transmission line should be expedited. The Chief Minister has also given instructions to work on an effective plan to reduce line loss and to work expeditiously on the plans to make power lines underground.
It was informed in the meeting that 121 MW capacity 06 small hydropower projects have been allotted in the state, out of which 24 MW Melekhet and 21 MW Khutani Hydroelectric Project will be completed by December 2026, while work on 22.80 MW Bernigad and 06 MW Rayat Hydroelectric Project will be started in the next two years. Under the pump storage project in the state, preliminary feasibility report is being prepared on 200 MW Lakhwar-Byasi, 150 MW Byasi-Katta Patthar and 168 MW Kalagarh project. 01-01 MW Tiloth, Khatima and Dhakrani are being developed under battery energy storage system.
Vice Chairman Infrastructure Monitoring Council Vishwas Dabur, Chief Secretary Mrs. Radha Raturi, Principal Secretary R.K. Sudhanshu, Secretary R. Meenakshi Sundaram, Additional Secretary Mrs. Ranjana Rajguru, Ahmed Iqbal, MD UJVNL Sandeep Singhal, MD Pitkul PC Dhyani and related officers were present in the meeting.
